The flower known as violet in English and violeta in Spanish is said, according to one theory, to take its name from the Greek word ion.
According to one version of the story, Zeus, the supreme god in Greek mythology, was once attracted to a young water nymph named Io and raped her. Zeus, however, had a wife, Hera, the highest-ranking goddess of Olympus, who suspected his infidelity. Afraid that Hera would catch him in the act, Zeus transformed Io into a heifer. Taking pity on Io, he fed her violet plants. But Hera discovered this too, and Zeus, fearing his wife’s retribution, turned Io into a star. He then made the violets bloom with purple flowers the same color as her eyes. This is the theory behind the flower’s name changing from ion to violet.
In another version, Zeus’s son Apollo saw Io, fell in love with her, and approached her, but Io, who was engaged, rejected him. Angered by this, Apollo transformed her into a purple flower the same color as her eyes.
There are several other versions, but all reflect the delicate beauty of Io.
Violets were a favorite flower of Napoleon I. There is also a story that his second wife, Marie Louise, loved them so much that she made everything around her violet, from colors to decorative patterns. She established a violet industry in the Duchy of Parma and helped it flourish.
Violets are harvested from January to April. The flowers are used as cut flowers, while only the leaves and stems are used in perfume. This is because the flower essence can be replaced by synthetic fragrance materials. As a result, when violet is used as a fragrance material, it is often listed as violet leaf.
Originally, the flower essence was obtained by warm enfleurage (in Japanese) or solvent extraction, but these were very costly methods. When the chemists Tiemann and Kruger discovered ionone (in Japanese) in 1893, it became clear that this molecule alone could reproduce the scent of violet flowers quite faithfully, and today ionone is generally used for the floral scent. The leaves have a fresh green-vegetable scent reminiscent of cucumber.
Notable perfumes using violet leaf include Fahrenheit (Dior), Dans Tes Bras (Frédéric Malle), Verte Violette (L’Artisan Parfumeur), and Violetta (Santa Maria Novella).
When ionone was discovered, Roger&Gallet negotiated exclusive sales rights with De Laire, a partner of Haarmann & Reimer, the company that employed Tiemann, and launched a perfume called Vera Violetta.
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In violet perfumes, natural violet leaf absolute and ionone-based synthetic fragrance materials that depict the flowers play different roles. The leaf extract combines fresh green notes with a scent reminiscent of mimosa, moss, and leather. Ionone and methyl ionone materials add a powderiness reminiscent of petals or orris, together with a soft woody texture. The impression of “violet” changes considerably depending on whether the fresh leaves or the powder-dusted flowers are emphasized.
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